1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to the field of computers, and in particular to file systems. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for concurrently applying multiple operations to different files to a first interim stage, and then executing the operation in a final execution stage.
2. Description of the Related Art
Computer systems often display multiple files in a column or tree format in a graphical user interface (GUI). FIG. 1, for example, illustrates a prior art GUI 100, which includes a listing of file numbers, the dates they were last modified, and their titles. If a particular file is to be manipulated, such as being copied, moved, deleted, etc., then a focus area 102 is applied to a particular file, such as file number “7829.” After focus area 102 is applied, the user can then “right click” or “double click” the focus area 102, causing a drop-down or pop-window 104 to appear, giving the user a list of operations that can be applied to the selected file. The user then manipulates a position of a pointer 106 over a particular operation (e.g., “Delete”). When the user “left clicks” the desired operation (“Delete”), typically a warning prompt (not shown) occurs, asking the user if she is certain that she wants to perform the operation. If the user clicks a “Yes” button, then the operation immediately occurs, often irreversibly.
A method and system as illustrated in FIG. 1 has several disadvantages. First, the user can only perform one function at a time. That is, while multiple files can be selected, typically by holding down the “Control” or “Shift” key while focusing on multiple files, only one function can then be applied to all of the selected files.
A second disadvantage is that there is no ability to assign groups of multiples files to different categories. Specifically, the prior art requires the user to apply multiple objects (files) to a single category of functions (operation such as “Delete”), but does not allow the user to apply multiple categories to different objects. Thus, all highlighted files in the prior art GUI 100 will have the same function applied to them.
A third disadvantage is that once an action has been selected, the action is often irreversible. For example, once the user clicks on the “Delete” command for the selected files, the operation, after a prompt, becomes final, unless the user can access a “Trash” file or similar file storage. Other operations, such as “Move” or “Rename,” are irreversible, with no recourse available to “undo” the operation.
A fourth disadvantage is that the GUI displayed functions taught prior art typically do not “remember” operations from a prior active window. For example, assume that files “0037,” “0187,” and “7829” shown displayed in FIG. 1 are the files in “Sub1,” which is a sub-root of the main file labeled “Main.” If focus is applied to “Sub2,” then the files in “Sub2” will be displayed (not shown), but the focus on file “7829” is immediately lost. Therefore, if files from different sub-roots are chosen for an operation, such as being deleted, then the files in each sub-root must be selected and deleted before processing files in the next sub-root.
The functions described therefore do not allow the user to categorize the files into different groups according to what function is to be applied, and then to view and obtain an overview of what actions are to be taken on all files. That is, in FIG. 1 the prior art would not permit the preliminary interim selection of file “0037” for deletion, while concurrently selecting file “0187” to be copied and file “7829” to be sent to another location, such as an e-mail address. Such a visual representation of all files and what operations the user has planned for the files before actually executing the operations would be useful in organizing the displayed files and the files' ultimate ends.
What is needed, therefore, is a method and system that uses a user to visually characterize multiple files according to different operations to be performed on the files. Preferably, the visual characterizations would remain intact until a final command is issued for concurrent execution all of the selected operations on all of the selected files.